This year, more than 56,000 people took part in the survey, meaning that around one in five people across policing shared their experiences. This makes it the most representative national survey of the police workforce conducted to date.
As the National Police Wellbeing Service, we commission this survey to ensure that the voices and experiences of people across policing are heard, understood and used to inform meaningful change. This year’s response shows just how much people across the service value having the opportunity to have their say.
Building on last year’s momentum
Last year marked an important reset for the national survey. Working in partnership with Leapwise and with support from force representatives across England and Wales, the survey was redesigned to:
- use a more behaviourally informed approach to maximise participation
- generate more actionable insight into the issues affecting workforce wellbeing
- deliver findings more quickly, with national and force-level outputs available within weeks rather than months
That work resulted in a record-breaking response rate in 2025 and a much stronger evidence base for both local and national decision-making.
This year’s survey has gone further still. Alongside unprecedented participation, it includes a richer set of questions that provide greater depth on some of the most significant issues facing the workforce, including workload, leadership and organisational culture.
This will help us better understand not only what people are experiencing, and how that affects their wellbeing, but also why — creating a stronger foundation for targeted action and improvement.
What this tells us
With over 56,000 responses, this year’s survey provides an exceptional opportunity to understand how workforce experiences vary across policing and what is shaping them.
The scale of participation strengthens confidence in the findings and creates much richer opportunities for benchmarking, helping forces understand where they are doing well and where improvement efforts may need to be focused.
At both a local and national level, policing will now be able to draw on the most comprehensive workforce dataset gathered to date to identify priorities, target interventions and better understand the experiences of different teams and roles.
What comes next
The focus now shifts from data collection to insight and action.
Analysis of the results is already underway, and the findings will be shared through a series of national and force-level outputs, including:
- a national report
- tailored force reports
- a programme of deep dives into key themes emerging from the data
Following a period of stakeholder engagement, the initial national findings will be published by Oscar Kilo in August, followed by a series of deep dive reports through the autumn.
Together, these outputs will help build a clearer picture of workforce experience across policing — from the challenges affecting particular teams and roles, to the broader themes emerging across England and Wales. By combining national evidence with local insight, they will support informed decision-making, targeted interventions and practical action to improve workforce experience.
Thank you to everyone who took part
We would like to thank everyone who took the time to complete the survey this year, as well as the force leads, wellbeing SPOCs, communications teams and partners who supported its delivery.
Andy Rhodes, Service Director for Oscar Kilo, the National Police Wellbeing Service, said:
“First of all, thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the survey. As the National Police Wellbeing Service, we commission this survey to ensure the voices and experiences of people across policing are heard and understood. We are thrilled that so many of you chose to take part this year, resulting in a record-breaking response rate that reflects the value placed on having your voice heard.
Your feedback is incredibly important and helps us build a clear picture of how our workforce is feeling. Listening, understanding and learning from what you tell us is essential if we are to continue improving the working lives and wellbeing of those who serve.
Wellbeing is not a ‘nice to have’ – it is fundamental to supporting our people, our teams and the service we provide to the public. But this survey is about more than gathering views; it is about driving meaningful action.
The findings will help shape work taking place across policing, both locally and nationally. Year after year, the results contribute to key developments including police reform, the NPCC Workforce Strategy, and the ongoing delivery of the Police Covenant, ensuring that the experiences of our workforce continue to influence decisions and priorities for the future.”
Tanvi Bhaktal, Senior Manager at Leapwise, said:
“It is brilliant to have the most representative response to the National Police Workforce and Wellbeing Survey to date. This exceptional level of participation reflects a clear expectation from the workforce that their views will inform meaningful action. We would like to thank all forces that invested time and effort to encourage participation, and we are pleased that these insights will help shape improvement across policing. As policing prepares for a period of significant change and reform, we are privileged to help ensure that the voice of officers and staff across the country is at the heart of decision-making.”
If you would like to find out more about the National Police Workforce and Wellbeing Survey, you can contact the National Police Wellbeing Service via Jenna.flanagan@college.police.uk.